"When philosophy paints its grey in grey then has a shape of life grown old. By philosophy's grey in grey it cannot be rejuvenated but only understood. The owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of dusk." -- G.W.F. Hegel, 'Preface', Philosophy of Right.
|
|
'Constant revolutionizing of production, uninterrupted disturbance of all social conditions, everlasting uncertainity and agitation distinquish the bourgeois epoch from all earlier ones ... All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned.' Marx
|
|
|
Preface to Ted Mullighan's Report on sexual abuse in 'The Lands' in SA
« Previous |
|Next »
|
|
|
May 7, 2008
The following quote begins Ted Mullighan preface to his 600 page Commission of Inquiry on sexual abuse on South Australian tribal lands in the Western Desert in central Australia in the far north-west of South Australia in and around the Musgrave Ranges. The report is entitled Children on the APY Lands, and it uncovered a sad stream of stories from the Lands, identified the nature and extent of child sexual abuse on the Lands and made recommendations to prevent and respond to it.
I have known for many years that the plight of the Aboriginal people in this country is the greatest social issue in our history and remains so. Prior to the mid-1970s, life for the Angangu on the (Pitjantjatjara) lands was generally healthy, peaceful, safe and content. There was an effective system of social order, law and governance, and mutual responsibility. During the '80s and '90s, life changed drastically for the people, and sadly for the people. By the turn of the century, communities were dysfunctional and abusive. There was widespread violence and alcohol and drug abuse.
I have heard that sexual abuse of children on the lands has been widespread throughout the communities for many years. It occurs in the context of destructive and disorganised communities, poor health, poverty, alcohol and other substance abuse, the breakdown of traditional law and authority, generational cycles of abuse and neglect of children, violence, fear and a general powerlessness of many women. In many ways, conditions on the lands are comparable to a Third World country.
In communities on the lands, where petrol sniffing has destroyed a generation and alcohol and drug abuse is prevalent, parents do not know how to care for and protect their children or have become unable to do so. These children are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse.....
Mulligan says that with little over eight months to investigate and report, it was impossible to gauge the full extent of the problem, but from just this short period of time:
It is clear the scourge of child sexual abuse is widespread, devastating and a national disgrace. That little children can continue to be damaged physically, sexually and psychologically is devastating. A man with vast experience living on the lands told the inquiry that there was a deteriorating social fabric and "graft and corruption is really part of why people think that the law doesn't apply, that it's open slather; it's the law of the jungle here".
It adds to the picture painted by the 2007 LIttle Children are Sacred Report in the Northern Territory.
|
|
|
| | Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at 7:41 PM | Permalink |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
